Precision and fast measurement of 3D cutting edge profiles of single point diamond micro-tools

A measuring instrument, which consists of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an optical alignment probe, is designed and constructed for precision and fast measurement of 3D cutting edge profiles of single point diamond micro-tools. A focused laser beam is employed as a reference for automatic and fast alignment of the AFM cantilever tip with the micro-tool cutting edge. Experiments are carried out to demonstrate the ability of the instrument for alignment and measurement of a round-nose micro-tool with a nominal nose radius of 1.5 μm. The cutting edge sharpness, nose radius and edge contour out-of-roundness of the micro-tool are evaluated.